Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1887-05-25

Reading, n. Nay 18th, 1887,

i IN itetna3 bonn this past Of the
world might be III some interest TO
your readers I viii give them.
4 len home on the 9Th day Of
Nay for this place to receive treat
mont for 4 disease Of the chr, caused
by injury received while in Uncle
SANS service. One Of the best au-
ral SURGEONS IN the United States is
located here. Arrived At Spring
Green, Wis. the next day, and re-
mainsd there over Sunday visiting
relatives and friends. II was very
dry there, much more than it was at
home. Winter wheat wac looking
well but rye and oats looked poor.
Corn planting had just commenced.
The crops were 30 very light there
last year on account Of the dry
weather that the farmers were very
uneasy regarding the coming crop.
There. are 10 many in the dairy BUSH
ness who have been shipping in from
Iowa all the hny they have used at
! cost VI ten dollars per ton that ev-
eryshing in the shape Of feed is used
up. Lett Spring Green on the 9th
BY the way of Milwaukee and Chi
cago. We passed through the state
81 Indiana during the night. In
the morning we were in Ohio. They
were having too much rain there.
Winter wheat was looking very poor
all through that part Of the state
through which we passed. Even
with favorable weather they will
not exceed q half . crop. The farm
ers use ! heavy left handed pillow,
Their corn markers are ouch as was
used thirty years ago in Wiscon.
sin-a pole with holes bored in and
pegs put in 70 make the marks.
We crossed the Allegheny noun
tains in the night, missing the grand
scenery along the way but expect to
return over them in the day time
Several Of the natural gas welli
were burning by the way--the light
nearly dying cut then shooting
many feet up in the mir. Gas pipes
can be seen lying on top of thu
ground and running in every direc
tons carrying the gas for . to tht
farm houses and to the factories
Many old oil derricks with their
high towers are seen. A few o
them + still running. We saw
two new ones being bored but tht
most Of them are abandoned fol
newer fields.
Wa stopped off one day at Leba
nan, at the head Of the heautifu
Lebanan valley and visited friends
aud the great iron works there wher,
they make from the smallest rod VI
to the great shafts which + sigh'
inches in diameter, and chains from
the smallest up to the cable chair
1 III 40
with links one and a half inches
through. We arrived at Reading
(the end Of cur journey the mornin:
OF the 18th. This without excep
ton is the most beautiful city that
have ever seen (and / have seen {
good many. 1t is in the Lebanal
valley, which is 80 rich and fertile
the old settlers tell me that crop
have not failed there for over thirt,
years. Being protected by TIN
mountains they get no hard winds
The city was laid out by the Penn
family. It contains according I,
census just taken, q population Q
SO, l63, having q gain Of 1920 in tin
last year. As it is All old place, o
course the populat'o' d res not in
crease like new cities in the west
Many of the old residents were her
when it was not much more than
village, when the whole county Cam
here to vote. They are now building
4160ttO0 government building. TIL
buildings are all in good repair, KEEP
we'll painted aud denote thriftine ss
One does not see any dilapidatet
buildings or shanties on the out
skirts. Nearly every street has a roy
Of shade trees on both sides which
are kept we'll trimmed. The side
walks are swept and washed morn.
ings, the streets cleaned every day
and no Rlth nor rubbish il allowed
70 b deposited inside the city linn
its. Good water is abundant in eY
cry house and the people enjoy goot
health. The Schuylkill river and
canal run on the west side Of the cit,
while on the easta high mountain
towers mp which has . railroad as
ceisding il 70 : summer resort at th,
top. There are fine iron works here
One furnace turns out eleven hun
dred tons Of pig iron each week
Cotton factories tanneries and othel
industries are too numerous Il
mention. This place 10 on the di
rect route from the coal mines which
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